Winter
Offshore
Long-leader rockfish seaward of the 40-fathom line, sablefish
Nearshore
Rockfish and lingcod when bar conditions allow, Dungeness crab
OregonOffshore Fishing: Ports, Regulations and Seasons
Oregon offshore fishing runs from the Columbia River bar to the California line, and the port you leave from decides most of the day. Eleven ports between Astoria and Brookings serve the coast, and each sits behind a river bar or a harbor entrance. Bar conditions and run distance to the grounds determine which fish a boat can reach. This page covers where to leave from, what runs when, and which rules apply where. Oregon is one stretch of the US West Coast we map. See all US coverage.
By Breakpoint Team
11Offshore ports
4Stretches of coast
3 NMState waters
The coast
How Oregon Offshore Fishing Works from One End to the Other
The Columbia River bar is the northern gateway. The river mouth concentrates salmon moving in, which is why Buoy 10 and the lower river draw a fleet. The ocean begins at a north-south line through Buoy 10, and waters north of Cape Falcon fall in the Columbia River halibut subarea. For how Oregon fits the wider Washington-to-Northern-California picture, see our Pacific Northwest fishing guide.
The coast from Tillamook Bay to Cape Kiwanda has nearshore reefs for black rockfish and lingcod. Cape Falcon is both a halibut subarea line and a marine reserve (details in the state and federal waters section below).
On the Central Coast, Stonewall Bank sits west of Newport and Heceta Bank lies farther south. Both put structure and deeper water within reach of Yaquina Bay. Stonewall Bank YRCA is closed to bottomfish and halibut; the full rule is below. Run distance from each bar determines which grounds a trailer boat can reach.
South of Cape Blanco the coast has reefs off Port Orford, the Rogue and the Chetco, and warm water can sit within range of the southern ports.
Albacore come within range when the warm, blue water edge pushes inshore. Watch the OBS SST layer for the temperature break and Chlorophyll for the color edge. Cloud can block a satellite pass, so a clear image is better than a stale one. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Ports
11 ports, 4 stretches of coast
Tap a number on the map, or a stretch below, to zoom in on its ports.
Pick a stretch of coast
1
3 ports
North Coast: Columbia River to Cape Kiwanda
Three ports cover the stretch from the Columbia River bar to the cape where dories launch off the beach.
2
2 ports
Central Coast: Depoe Bay and Newport
Two harbors give the shortest access to the Central Coast reefs and banks.
3
3 ports
South-Central Coast: Umpqua to Coquille
Three river bars, the Umpqua, Coos Bay and Coquille, serve this stretch.
4
3 ports
South Coast: Port Orford to the California Line
Humbug Mountain, between Port Orford and Gold Beach, marks the line between the Central Coast and Southern Oregon halibut subareas.
Seasons
What runs through the year
What tends to be around each season. Open seasons are covered under Regulations.
Spring
Offshore
Halibut openers start (see ODFW), long-leader rockfish
Nearshore
Bottomfish, salmon per the PFMC season
Summer
Offshore
Albacore when warm water reaches range, all-depth halibut per quota, salmon
Nearshore
Bottomfish, nearshore halibut inside 40 fathoms, cabezon retention opens Jul 1
Fall
Offshore
Albacore while warm water holds, summer all-depth halibut until the quota is caught
Nearshore
Buoy 10 and estuary salmon, bottomfish, crab
Quota closures and water temperature move these dates from year to year, so treat this as a planning guide and check with the agency before you go.
Seasons tell you which fish are around, and daily water conditions show where to find them
Temperature breaks and color edges shift with wind and current. In Breakpoint, these three layers show those edges and the bottom structure near them.
Clouds block satellite SST passes, so some days show gaps. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Charters and tournaments
Tournaments in Oregon
Regulations
State rules apply out to 3 nautical miles, with federal rules beyond
Full state rules by species are on our Oregon regulations page. Check the ODFW marine zone regulations before every trip, because bag limits can change in-season.
3 NMState waters. Federal rules apply beyond the line.
Oregon regulations page
State and Federal Waters
Oregon fishing falls under two sets of rules, and the numbered points below explain where they meet.
- The 3 nm line. State waters run 0 to 3 nautical miles from shore. Federal waters run from 3 to 200 nm. See where state waters end.
- Reach of ODFW rules. ODFW sport rules apply out to 50 miles. Federal groundfish and halibut rules also apply, and the stricter rule governs. The agencies involved are ODFW, the PFMC, NOAA Fisheries and the IPHC.
- Why the rules move. Groundfish caps and halibut allocations close a fishery once the fish are caught, which is why this page points to the agency instead of printing a bag limit. The IPHC sets the Area 2A catch limit, and the Council’s halibut Catch Sharing Plan divides it.
- Fathom lines. A fathom line is a regulatory line drawn from waypoints that ODFW publishes, and it does not follow a contour on your chart. The 30-fathom line governs descending device use. The 40-fathom line separates the nearshore halibut fishery and marks the long-leader boundary.
- Long-leader rockfish. The fishery is open seaward of the 40-fathom line, and every angler aboard uses long-leader gear: up to 3 hooks, a float above the top hook, at least 30 feet between the lowest hook and the weight, and no natural bait. Details are in ODFW’s offshore long-leader FAQ.
- Stonewall Bank YRCA. It lies about 15 miles west of Newport and is closed to bottomfish, long-leader and halibut fishing. A vessel may transit with halibut aboard but may not fish there.
- All-depth versus nearshore halibut. All-depth days allow halibut fishing at any depth. The nearshore fishery lies shoreward of the 40-fathom line, and when only nearshore is open, halibut may not be kept seaward of it.
- Halibut subareas and port of landing. Columbia River runs from Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon. Central Coast runs from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain. Southern Oregon runs from Humbug Mountain to the California border. Halibut count against the subarea of the port where they are landed, and that subarea’s rules apply wherever the fish was caught. The text is in the federal port-of-landing halibut rule.
- Pelagic gear outside 3 miles. With only offshore pelagic species aboard, any number of rods and lines and chumming are allowed seaward of 3 miles. Albacore may be partly cleaned at sea, head and entrails only, with the collar and tail left on.
- Marine reserves. Reserves and marine protected areas are no-take, with limited exceptions at some protected areas. Cape Falcon and Redfish Rocks are two of them. See the Oregon marine reserve maps.
Rules at a glance
Licensing basics:
- An angling license for anglers 12 and older.
- An Ocean Endorsement to keep any marine finfish, such as rockfish, lingcod, halibut or tuna.
- A Combined Angling Tag for salmon and halibut, for anglers of any age. Record each halibut on it at once.
Gear and retention rules:
- A working descending device must be aboard any vessel fishing for or holding bottomfish or halibut. Use it on rockfish released seaward of the 30-fathom line.
- Yelloweye and quillback rockfish may not be kept.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council sets ocean salmon seasons each year, and ODFW publishes them on its ocean salmon page. The Ocean Salmon Hotline is (800) 662-9825.
The general marine limit, lingcod and canary limits are all on ODFW’s bottomfish seasons page. Halibut dates and quotas are on ODFW’s halibut page. We do not print figures here because they change. Confirm the current rule with ODFW before you leave the dock.
FAQ
Oregon offshore, answered
Official answers come from the state wildlife agency and NOAA Fisheries. Check them before you go.
Which port should I fish from?
It depends on the fish and the boat. For albacore, look at Newport, Charleston, Brookings or Garibaldi, depending on where warm water sits. Newport is the pick for offshore halibut and the banks. Depoe Bay, Pacific City (dory) and Port Orford (hoist) suit nearshore bottomfish on short runs. Astoria is the salmon port for Buoy 10. Trailer boats should weigh the bar and the run distance.
Do I need a license on a charter?
Yes. You need an Oregon angling license, an Ocean Endorsement to keep marine finfish, and a Combined Angling Tag for salmon or halibut. Youth under 12 do not need a license, and the tag applies to every age. Check ODFW for current fees.
How do bar crossings affect a trip?
Wind, wave height, swell period and the tide stage relative to the ebb decide a crossing. Check the Coast Guard bar restrictions, which can close a bar to recreational boats, and the NWS marine forecast. Read the numbers and make the call from there.
When do albacore show up?
They arrive when the warm, blue water edge moves within range, usually summer into fall. Exact months shift with the water. Watch OBS SST for the temperature break and Chlorophyll for the color edge. Cloud cover can block a pass, so check the image date.
Where do halibut rules change?
At Cape Falcon and Humbug Mountain, the subarea lines. The rules of the port where you land the fish apply, wherever it was caught. Seasons run as all-depth or nearshore. Check ODFW for the open days and call the NOAA hotline at (800) 662-9825.
Are there offshore tournaments?
The Oregon Tuna Classic is held at Garibaldi. Check the organizer for dates and rules.
Know Where the Fish Are Before You Leave the Dock.
Ranked hotspots, live ocean layers and offline maps.
Open Breakpoint